The Clouds After a Storm is a semi autobiographical film reflecting on an individual’s life within a psychiatric hospital on Christmas Day. The story centres on Iris and her family who struggle with the stigma of her mental health condition. Iris has seemingly gone from one dysfunctional family to another, but within the hospital she finds refuge in her relationship with another patient. The film aims to leave audiences with an insight into contemporary mental health care in the UK whilst also showing a portrait of a young woman with psychosis and how this affects her and those around her.
The Story’s Origin
‘This film is an account of some of the hardest moments in a mental health journey, including over a year of multiple inpatient stays in psychiatric hospitals. The hospital stay this film is based on was incredibly difficult. Having never visited a mental health ward before, it was completely new to me, and to then be told that I wasn't allowed to leave, was extremely distressing.
My struggles with psychosis and undiagnosed bipolar disorder meant I was manic; I was sure everything was being recorded and had many beliefs that the nurses would cause me harm. Seeing other people in pain was hard too but the light within it all was the relationships built between patients. We would swap clothes, give each other cards and form genuine connections that eased the feeling that the walls were closing in on us.’
Charly Flyte, Writer & Director